The 3 Best Neighborhoods To Live In Columbus, Ohio If You're LGBTQ+

Whether you're relocating for work, family, or a fresh start, Columbus is a city with lots to offer a multitude of demographics, especially the LGBTQ+ community. Columbus has been an accepting and open-minded city for quite a while, having established the first city ordinated protections for its LGBTQ+ citizens in 1974 — an ordinance that protected them against housing and accommodation discrimination (via Columbus).

Columbus' LGBTQ+ community is also very vocal and active. The first pride parade in the city was in 1982, with only 850 people in attendance. Now, it's one of the country's largest and most celebrated pride festivals led by Stonewall Columbus. According to U.S. News, the 2019 parade alone had over 750,000 people in attendance, over 200 vendors, and is the second-largest pride festival in the Midwest. While the whole of Columbus has a long history of welcoming the LGBTQ+ community, some areas are even more involved and hands-on in their support of the community.

The Short North is one of Columbus' most interesting neighborhoods. Also known as the Short North Arts District, this community is full of art and creativity, with a mural, sculpture, or art installation on every corner. Experience Columbus identifies it as a certified Columbus gayborhood. It also encapsulates the Victorian Village and the Italian Village while being a short walk or car ride away from the heart of downtown.

The Short North is home to Stonewall Columbus' headquarters, right along the main drag of North High Street. A few blocks down is Axis Nightclub, one of the city's most popular gay nightclubs that spotlights many world-class drag performances. There's also Out of the Closet, a local thrift store that donates most of its profits towards providing free in-store HIV testing as well as prevention and treatment organizations. There's no shortage of coffee shops, art galleries, restaurants, bars and breweries, parks, gorgeous sights to see, and places to explore.

According to Niche, the Short North is the sixth best neighborhood to live in all of Columbus. Most people — 77% to be exact — rent, with the median rent being $1,185 per month. Those who do own homes pay quite a pretty penny for them, though, with the average house costing $347,277 — much more than the national average. Most of the Short North homes and apartments alike are older buildings, though, with lots of historic charm and personality.

Next up in Columbus' most LGTBQ+ friendly neighborhoods is the German Village. As the name would suggest, this neighborhood just south of downtown Columbus was originally populated by German immigrants and settlers, per Experience Columbus, and a lot of the charming architecture still remains.

There are plenty of fun and unique things to see and explore, including a plethora of coffee shops, breweries, and restaurants, as well as one of Columbus' most unique attractions, The Book Loft, which is an independent bookstore in an old building full of winding staircases and every book you could imagine. As for LGBTQ+ sights, the German Village is home to Tremont Lounge, one of the city's oldest gay bars that opened in 1987, located right on South High Street, per Experience Columbus. There's also Boscoe's, which hosts legendary drag performers, and Cavan Irish Pub, which advertises itself as the state's only gay Irish pub.

The German Village ranks pretty high on Niche, with an overall A grade. It's the 16th-best neighborhood to in Columbus, ranked highly in terms of housing, family friendliness, and nightlife. People rent and own evenly, with the average rent costing $1,328 and the average home costing $401,573, making it quite pricey to live in the historic and LGBTQ+-friendly neighborhood.

While its nightlife scene isn't as vibrant as the Short North or German Village, Clintonville is certainly a more slow-paced LGBTQ+ friendly neighborhood in Columbus. According to Gay Cities, Clintonville inhabitants donate a significant amount of money to organizations and politicians that support LGBTQ+ causes — more than the rest of the state.

If you want to check out nearby LGBTQ+ nightlife, it is a very short drive to the other mentioned neighborhoods, as well as other historic LGBTQ+ bars and clubs like Slammers in downtown Columbus, which is one of only 27 lesbian bars in the entirety of the United States, per Out Traveler. Nightlife aside, it's also home to some super unique places like Studio 35, a local independent theater, as well as the Park of Roses and its plethora of great restaurants and shops (via Columbus Underground).

Niche gives Clintonville an overall A+ grade, ranked the number two best neighborhood to live in all of Columbus, and scored particularly highly in terms of housing, family life, nightlife, and diversity. Most people own their homes, which tend to be charming and historic brick-front buildings and cost an average of $303,660. Rent costs an average of $1,076.